Chapter 7: Midnight Conversation
Forge.
"Ororo," he began.
"Did I not make myself clear earlier when I told you to get out of my office?" she replied, leaving the door open and stepping to the side.
"Yes but this, my dear, this is not your office," he replied, getting to his feet.
"Fine. If that wasn't clear, then hopefully this will make it crystal. Get the fuck out of my house and my life," she replied, her words emphasized by the boom of thunder.
"Ororo, sweetheart, calm down."
"Calm down? You have some nerve to tell me to calm down. After being MIA for a full year, you wait until the anniversary of our break up to show up on my doorstep saying how beautiful I am and not expect me to act a certain kind of way toward you?" she asked incredulously.
"I came back to explain but how can I do that if you keep throwing your weather tantrums," he replied.
Did he just say weather tantrum, she thought, tilting her head to the side, not believing the gall of the man in front of her.
"Fine," she said, dismissing the turbulent weather with a flick of her wrist and closing the door. She walked over and sat on the arm of the loveseat. "Talk."
"My, my. How you've grown in your ability to control your powers," he told her smugly, impressed.
"Thanks. Practicing on your clones helped me a great deal," she said with a small smile, gaining satisfaction from the shocked look on his face.
"So I take the cloning aspect of the Danger Room works well?"
"Like a charm. There were times I really felt like I was sending a bolt of 10,000 volts right at your heart," she told him evenly, her eyes hooded, "The weather tantrum as you call it has ended. Now talk."
"Oh and if you want to do so privately, I suggest you talk fast, as we will be having company soon."
"Who? That Logan guy?"
"Possibly. Maybe Remy and Scott," she told him, not providing more information.
"Aren't they married?"
"Yes and very protective of me," she replied with an exasperated sigh, "You have five minutes to talk before I ask you to leave as I'm very tired and really am not in the mood to deal with you right now."
"Then maybe I should wait until you're in the mood."
"I wouldn't," she replied, getting to her feet when she heard footsteps approaching.
"And why not?" he asked, his arms crossing in front of his chest as he watched her go to the door.
"Because, Forge, I may never be in the mood," she replied before opening the door, smiling at the gruff mutant in front of her.
"Ro? Ya good?" Logan asked, looking her over to make sure she was okay.
"I'm fine. Just an unexpected visitor," she told him, stepping back so that he and Remy, who just arrived, could enter.
"Forge, right?" Logan asked.
"Logan, right?" Forge countered.
"Yeah. Mind telling us why ya bothering the lady when she clearly told ya earlier to fuck off?"
"Mind telling me why it is any of your business?" Forge retorted.
"It became my business when a colleague sent up a distress signal," Logan growled.
"It wasn't a distress signal, it was a weather tantrum," he replied, confusing the men who looked at one another before turning back to the man in question.
"Either way, mon ami. We came to make sure Stormy be okay. Ya okay, Stormy?" Remy asked her, looking into her eyes.
"I'm fine. I will be better when you stop using that infuriating nickname," she replied.
"Yeap, she be fine," Remy replied, turning his gaze toward the mutant inventor, "Forge, ya need us to escort ya back to the mansion?"
"No, I'm not done here," he told them.
"Um, yes you are. I told you I was tired and would like to get some sleep. So Remy and Logan, if you don't mind, would you see Forge out?"
"Gladly," Logan replied, his eyes darkening as he watched the man.
"Ororo, we need to talk about this," he called out after her as she ignored him as she made her way to her room, shutting the door firmly behind her.
"Not tonight, ya not. Come on, bub," Logan said, motioning for the man to exit the cottage.
"What are you, her guard dog?" Forge asked, reluctantly heading out the door that Remy held open as Logan followed him out.
"No, I'm 'er fairy godfather, here ta grant 'er wish," Logan growled, "Now take a hike and don't come back unless invited."
"You are in no position to tell me what to do," Forge replied, turning angrily to face him, "What gives you the right?"
Logan's claws popped out his hands as he clenched his fist. "These give me the right. Now if ya don't want 6 extra holes in yer body, I would suggest ya get the hell out of here."
"This ain't over. Not by a long shot," Forge replied, turning in a huff and making his way to the mansion.
"Yeah, I didn't think it would be," Logan replied, looking over at Remy who stood watching the man's retreat, "What's that guy's problem? Can't he take no for an answer?"
"Not when it comes to Stormy. She be the one thing that make the tinkerer get beside hisself."
"Yeah well, he needs to get over that and quick," Logan replied, retracting his claws, "Go ahead and head back to Marie. I'm gonna check on Ro."
"Alright, mon ami. Goodnight."
"G'night."
Logan climbed the steps to the cottage front door and knocked gently. After a few moments of silence, he turned the knob and stepped inside. "Ro?" he called out and stood still when he heard her breath hitch. He looked out the window as the sound of the pitter patter of the rain hit his ears.
"Ro?" he called through the door. It broke his heart to hear her sobs.
"I'm fine, Logan. I'll see you in the morning," she called out him, her voice cracking a bit.
"Sorry, darlin' but I have ta lay eyes on ya," he replied, turning the knob and slowly opening the door, hoping that she wouldn't send him flying with a lightning bolt. When he was sure the coast was clear, he stepped into the room, spying her sitting on the side of the bed closest to the open sliding glass doors.
He walked over and knelt in front of her.
"I'm sorry you had to see me like this," she told him, unable to meet his gaze, "Again. I'm 0 for 2." She chuckled humorlessly.
"Don't be so hard on yerself. Yer human and sometimes we have shitty moments," he replied, taking a napkin from the box and wiping away a tear.
"Yeah, I would consider this day to be a shitty one."
"Hey. I take offense to that. I don't take an ass whupping in pool from any ole body," he protested, "Surely that wasn't a shitty moment."
"No, it wasn't. Maybe for you but not for me," she replied with a smile, getting a grunt in response.
"Damn woman, how ya gonna cut a man when he trying to make ya feel better?"
"Sorry. Forgot to retract the claws," she replied.
"That's okay, I heal fast," he replied.
A few minutes later, the rain stopped. Logan looked up at Ororo and she looked down at him, her eyes, though swimming in tears, were defiant.
"Now that's the Ro I know," he replied.
"Thanks for being here, Logan. I'm glad you didn't go away."
"I got a hard head, remember? Sometimes I don't do what people tell me to do," he replied, realizing his slip up when she smiled at him.
"Duly noted," she said in her headmistress authoritative tone, "But seriously, thank you. I really appreciate you keeping me company."
"There was nowhere else I needed ta be than here with ya," he told her, getting to his feet and pulling her up into his arms, "I told ya I got a thing for ya so in my mind, I'm just taking care of my girl."
"Your girl?" she asked, tilting her head to the side.
"Yeah, my girl. We may need to get yer hearing check. Ya seem to be hard of hearing," he joked, leaning in, touching his forehead to hers.
"Logan I," she whispered and he shushed her.
"I know but that doesn't mean I can't let ya know how I feel. I'm a patient man. Eventually, yer gonna see things my way," he replied confidently, leaning and kissing her cheek, "G'night Ro."
She watched him as he stepped out the sliding doors and with a wave disappeared into the early dawn.
"Night," she replied, going over to close the doors and getting into bed, drifting off to sleep with a smile on her face.
